How do you play pocket pairs? Ace/Ace is not in the equation until the flop. Starting out it is the best hand on the table. Still, this is not a time to lay in wait and underplay your hand. Hit them with a raise right off the bat. Try and weed out the guys who are going to beat you on the river with a small straight against your set of aces. A pair of aces in the pocket can be dangerous, especially if you have just sat through the last twenty hands and not been able to play in any of them. Just did not have the cards. The Aces will look magnificent!!! Be careful. It can go downhill fast from there.
The fact of the matter is that pocket Aces will win the pot most of the time. If you are in early position on the table you will have to decide weather or not to slow play them. If you raise in early position you may knock lots of players out of the game and thus reduce the size of the pot. You can just call the blind and hope someone will raise it for you so that you can reraise. If you are in late position on the table and it is before the flop. Raise and reraise if you can.
Pocket Kings are almost the same as Pocket Aces. You have only one overcard that can beat you and it will come about 22 percent of the time on the flop. It is best to eliminate as many players as you can before the flop. Someone holding Ace/Six can be convinced to drop. But someone holding pocket aces is sure to raise you back. Start limping and stay to see the flop as cheaply as you can. If an Ace flops, drop. If a King flops you have improved your hand.
If you have Pocket Jacks be very careful. About 45 per cent of the time, an Ace, King, or Queen will flop and no Jack. Limp into the pot as cheaply as you can but be prepared to throw the Jacks away if you see an overcard on the flop. If you are in late position and no one has raised yet then you do so and try and steal the blinds.
Ten/Ten is a very difficult hand to play. It is just so damn, well, middle ground. One the one hand you can beat lots of other pocket pairs, but on the other lots can beat you. Be extra special very careful when playing Pocket Tens.
All the other pocket pairs Nine/Nine on down will have an overcard flopped more often and not without flopping a set. Be prepared to fold these cards pre flop if faced with any kind of raise.
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